Study Finds Similarities in Sex Addiction and Drug Addiction Articles>Addiction ResearchBy The Ranch TNOctober 23, 2014Addiction is often measured, in part, by the impact it makes on a person’s quality of life. In instances of substance use, it can also be measured by intensity and frequency of use. In other behaviors, such as compulsive gambling, the behavior can also be measured in the frequency of the behavior. However, without any… Details
Which Came First, Depression or Alcoholism? Articles>Addiction ResearchBy The Ranch TNOctober 20, 2014In our society, it is commonly accepted for people to turn to alcohol when they are feeling down. In the movies and on TV, the hero or heroine is often portrayed drowning his or her sorrows at the local bar after losing a job, getting a divorce or experiencing another major disappointment.
Finding Self-Confidence After Sex Addiction Articles>Recovery at The RanchBy The Ranch TNOctober 18, 2014Jacob likes to say that his father was the only person in his family allowed to express emotion, although the only emotion he expressed was anger. If the paperboy missed the driveway, his father raged. If the pasta was overcooked, rage. If Jacob stuttered while trying to answer his father’s demanding questions, more rage. Rage… Details
Eating Disorder Patients Turn to Internet for Empathy, Support Articles>Eating DisordersBy The Ranch TNOctober 17, 2014Teens are living more of their lives on the Internet. A teen struggling with an eating disorder may seek out websites with information about the disorder and end up connecting with commenters discussion forum members. While the teen may feel validated by the experiences of others online, they will not receive in-person support the same… Details
Female Sex Addicts: Using Sex for Power and Control Articles>Sex AddictionBy The Ranch TNOctober 16, 2014The second episode of the new thriller “Those Who Kill,” starring Chloë Sevigny as Catherine Jenson, peeled back a layer on the character behind this aggressive young homicide detective. We learned in the first episode that she is a woman who experienced abuse at the hands of her stepfather, a judge, and who is driven… Details
ADHD and Bipolar Disorder Present Mental Challenges Articles>Mental HealthBy The Ranch TNOctober 14, 2014The ability to think about multiple concepts at the same time is impaired in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and markedly worse in patients with comorbid bipolar disorder. New research suggests inflexible thinking in those with ADHD may be entirely due to the bipolar disorder.
Opening Doors Once Closed by PTSD Stigma Articles>Trauma and PTSDBy The Ranch TNOctober 13, 2014Nearly 24 million people will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point during their lifetime, and only half will seek treatment. Some hope that the nightmares, anxieties and other symptoms will dissolve on their own. Others fear that if family or employers knew of their mental stress they would be viewed unfavorably.
Breakthrough Study Links Anorexia to Problems Metabolizing Cholesterol Articles>Eating DisordersBy The Ranch TNOctober 12, 2014Anorexia nervosa is difficult to predict and, if left untreated, potentially life-threatening. How the eating disorder develops is poorly understood, though genetics has long been thought to be a factor. A novel new study has narrowed down a gene connected to cholesterol metabolism as possibly playing a large part.
Topiramate Reduces PTSD Symptoms, Alcohol Cravings, Study Finds Articles>Addiction TreatmentBy The Ranch TNOctober 11, 2014Topiramate (Topamax) is a medication that, while originally intended for use as a seizure treatment, now sometimes plays a role in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (alcoholism and/or alcohol abuse). Significant numbers of the people affected by this disorder also have diagnosable cases of the mental health condition PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). In a… Details
Process Addictions: When a Substance Isn’t the Problem Articles>Addiction ResearchBy The Ranch TNOctober 10, 2014By Edie Weinstein, LSW @EdieWeinstein1 Workaholism and perfectionism are considered process addictions. Although it might be difficult to imagine, they are every bit as insidious and at times intractable as substance addictions and can also carry dire consequences. Although they’re both legal and in most cases socially acceptable, the dynamics can be a doorway to… Details